page51 (1/1)

In honour of the charity opera perfor, she had shopped for hours in Athens for a gorgeous dress and had promised to wear the sapphires with it Aristandros had flown out the night before on a helicopter, and she was being picked up early evening The beautician orked on Hellenic Lady ca hoell her hair looked when Ianthe, the housekeeper, came to her bedroom to tell her that Yannis Mitropoulos had phoned to ask if she would conant and unwell

Ella wasted no tiery, with Ianthe in tow Grigoria was a young first-tinant with twins Her husband was in the aroria was very nearly hysterical, and clung so tightly to Ella that she had to prise herself free to exaoria’s blood pressure was sky high, and her hands and feet were swollen Her condition was made more complex by the fact that she was a diabetic Ella told Yannis that they needed the air ahter was suffering froent hospital treaterous condition which would most likely only be cured by the delivery of the babies She checked the records and rang the relevant hospital to forewarn theist on duty

‘You’ll co at Ella’s arm frantically

‘I would be very grateful if you would,’ Yannis added jerkily, tears in his eyes as he took her to one side and began to tell the very sad story of how his late wife had once gone on the same journey and, for possibly the saoria’s birth

His daughter’s state of mind was not helped by that inopportune recollection of her mother’s deement, and the reminder cleared Ella’s froay; she was quick to work out how she could be in virtually two places at once, for both destinations were in the city Deteroria, Ella instructed the housekeeper to have her evening dress and jewellery delivered to Ari’s house in Athens where she would be able to change for the evening, having left the hospital

The flight in the air aoria was suffering increasing pain, and was seriously ill It was a great relief to reach the hospital Ella, preoccupied with her patient’s condition, spared not a thought for her disrupted social arrangeirls, were safely delivered by Caesarean section Her anxiety about Grigoria soothed by the knowledge that the young wo the best possible treatistered that she had not even tried to contact Aristandros to tell him where she was In a passion of disement which he had made clear was an iies to hi to explain what had happened, but instead promised to join him by the time of the intermission

More precious ti to take her out of the city She contacted Ianthe to check that the dress had been delivered Reassured on that score, Ella began worrying about how Aristandros would react to her appearance just before the end of the evening Her heart sank He hadn’t responded to her text, which suggested to her that he was furious Furthermore, she didn’t feel she could bla her well in advance in siotten about hiency was scarcely likely to prove a comfort to a male accustomed to the very best treatment when it came to the female sex

By the ti villa, Ella was very tense, because she was running against the clock and not doing very well She rang the bell and, after a few moments, the housekeeper appeared, and her look of consternation was sufficient to warn Ella that her arrival was unexpected Ella hastened past the older woy She sped upstairs, where she assun of it in the master bedroom, but she stilled in surprise on the threshold when she saw the scattered pieces of feht of the frilly black-and-turquoise bra andto Unfortunately, she did not have to wonder for long

The mystery was immediately solved when the bathrooly lovely blonde appeared, wearing only a towel It was difficult to say which of the